The aim of the course is to improve students’ confidence in their ability to use English for academicpurposes at a B1 level (CEFR).

Students will receive an introduction to the fundamentals of researching, writing and speaking in English on academic subjects relevant to their field of study, skills that will prove useful at university and beyond. 

Language skills 

Using English for academic purposes requires mastery of four basic skills: lexis, grammar, discourse and pronunciation. 

Being able to produce and comprehend language, both oral and written, requires us to be familiar with the meanings of words (lexis)and the grammatical rules that govern how words can transform within a sentence. Discourse refers to the way sentences are combined into text and speech. We also need to be able to produce language orally so that we are comprehensible to others, which means being familiar with phonetics, syllable stress and intonation, the qualities of language that constitute pronunciation.  

In this short course, English grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation will be studied and practised in combination with research, writing and presentation (discourse) skills, with each reinforcing the other. Students will have the chance to read, write and speak in English, as well as develop their ability to comprehend spoken English through lectures, video and individual practice. 

The course assumes that students have some familiarity with English grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation already. Students who feel they are weak in one or more areas are invited to reinforce their skills through extra self-study:

· Extra grammar practice (for example, using an exercise book)

· Reading news in English (BBC, The Guardian, AP, Reuters etc) 

· Listening to English podcasts and radio (the BBC World Service and 6-Minute English are excellent resources)

· Listening to and studying TED talks outside of lectures 

· Keeping an English research journal (summarising articles read, videos watched etc) and vocabulary notebook 

· Practising speaking with a friend or partner or alone (see the final section of this packet for ideas) 

Materials: Course packet (available for download online), dictionary (optional), vocabulary notebook/research journal — new materials may become available, and put online, as the course progresses. 

Exam (written and oral): 

The exam, which will be taken online, will be a combination of multiple choice questions about the grammar and vocabulary studied in the course, listening exercises and speaking tasks (students will be asked to submit a recorded oral response to questions concerning their area of study).